The Bitch & The Bastard | Jaehyun

𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑡. 𝐼𝐼

'Ah, he really is a bastard,' Haeyoung sighed, shaking her head. She pulled her card back from the bartender's hand and suppressing her growing smile, turned around.

There he was, the idiot, on stage, a cocky grin on his face and eyes on her. The last of the chatter died down and, in the silence, his voice spilled like honey from his lips.

Listen baby... ain't no mountain high

ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough, baby

The band joined in, the low timbre of the electric piano punctuating the faint thrum of the drum with two guitarists strumming with the rhythm of Jaehyun's singing.

if you need me call me, no matter where you are

no matter how far, don't worry baby

This was the first time she'd heard him sing and as much as she hated to admit it, he did have a voice that could make that President of a records company chase after him.

The people in the bar were already clapping along, their heads swaying and shoulders dancing.

just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry

you don't have to worry

cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough

ain't no valley low enough

ain't no river wide enough

to keep me from getting to you, babe

He wasn't even hiding who he was singing for– his gaze was stuck on her, his eyes following as she made her way back to the counter.

remember the day I set you free

I told you, you could always count on me, darling

A man invited his wife to the dance floor as the beat of the drum pulsed through the bar with the chorus. Their feet tapping, the others joined in soon after, singing along with Jaehyun like a choir harmonizing.

But Haeyoung found herself arrested in place as he sang his heart out for her, staring at him. The memory of their last day in Paris surged forward in her mind. It was just like this, wasn't it? Him on the stage amidst the cheers and she in the audience, wearing a black sweater and a long green skirt.

His eyes were on hers then, and even now. She had asked herself a question on that day and the answer had scared her. But today, in his eyes, she recognized the gleam of an emotion– the same that she had held in her eyes back then, and just like that, she wasn't so afraid anymore.

She smiled to herself, feeling giddy all of a sudden. Ah, I can't believe that I feel for this absolute idiot.

Haeyoung hadn't realized when Jaehyun had stepped down from the stage, when the crowd had moved out of his way as he had walked towards her and when all the eyes had turned to the two of them in the bar.

The music was still playing and the other were still singing and clapping. In the background somewhere, a man had found a synth and someone else had picked up the song where Jaehyun had left it.

She rolled her eyes at his wink but he took her hand and twirled her around, her skirt flying behind her, and she found herself giggling like a school girl in front of her first crush.

But Jaehyun was standing still, his eyes speaking for him. In that moment, he was not some rich heir of a company, but just a man in love, asking for the forgiveness of the woman he was afraid to lose.